Started forging some handles for some simple brooms. Same basic design of handle, but will be trying some different broom shapes.
This is a dial that I forge every few years and donate to some worthwhile cause. In this case it will be for the Creede Repertory Theater Gala auction.
After a long hiatus back to forging a few sundials. Building a foundation for two dials; at least one of these will be a donation for the Creede Repertory Theater Gala.
The dial begins as a piece of slightly more than 22" of mild steel. Eight inches (8") is drawn out so it reached about 18". Not overly difficult, but a nice workout for my relatively new shoulder. I forgot to include this bit of exploration. I was trying to develop the techniques for making fireplace brooms and then the new hip arrived. While recovering, I asked for antlers that I could work on while laid up. There's mostly whitetail but also a bit of elk.
Finished the last bit of forging and got the finished patina applied. Tackled the last of the closet rods and also completed the curtain brackets. Even though I've worked out a jig for the bending, these are still a bit of a pain to get them all (mostly) even.
Once these are hit with a bit of paste wax, they are ready for a happy customer. Given the various life events, feel good these got out early. These two brooms are for hanging in a cabin. The handles are white tail deer antlers. They are a bit longer and thinner so they can reach up and clean the cobwebs from the upper reaches of a cabin. They should definitely not be laid down in a corner as they will take on a permanent bent.
I probably only have a couple more brooms and then I'll be ready to move on to forging. Ran into a few issues with the scar tissue, so it took a bit longer than expected. Spent most of the Fall and early winter gimping around. Finally got so bad that I had it checked and found that the hip was trashed pretty bad. Finally able to get back to doing some odds and ends. Trading some elk and deer antlers for some some brooms.
Most of the antlers were pretty bleached from the sun so the antlers were stained using KMnO4 (Potassium permanganate) and then buffed with paste wax. |
the Mad tinkerJust an archive of projects as they progress. Nothing really to see here. Move along ... Archives
May 2024
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